


Budding, Blooming, Falling

by ladedanixie



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, gardening club au, this is the first fic i've ever posted on ao3 so be gentle please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-24 03:56:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12004491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladedanixie/pseuds/ladedanixie
Summary: She could sense the crush budding in swirls of gold and blue.





	Budding, Blooming, Falling

Keyleth loves autumn, loves the way the light imbues the world with warm orange tones. Everything seems so much happier in the fall. It figures that it was during autumn that Keyleth first met Pike Trickfoot.

Though that day, Keyleth was unable to enjoy the autumn weather all too much. She was late for the monthly Tal’dorei Gardeners meeting, and she had promised Ally that she’d be there early to cast her vote on the new motion to plant oak trees in the town square. So Keyleth ran as fast as she could to Mrs. Northwood’s backyard greenhouse, nearly tripping over several cracks in the sidewalk as she went.

When she arrived, Keyleth was relieved to see that the meeting hadn’t started yet. Keyleth scanned the yard, looking for Allura, and spotted her under the maple tree speaking with a small, dark haired woman she’d never seen before. Keyleth started waving enthusiastically, bouncing up on her toes. “Allura!”

Allura looked up and waved back. Keyleth walked over. But, then the woman Allura was speaking with turned as well. Keyleth froze. All the world slowed. Keyleth felt acutely aware of how the sun wreathed the woman with an almost heavenly halo of golden light. The woman, blue eyed and sweet, smiled at her then, and Keyleth felt the way cupping a freshly brewed cup of tea between cold hands feels, warm and safe from the chill. Keyleth blushed.

“Keyleth? Are you are alright?”

Keyleth jerked forward realizing that she’d been staring. “O-oh no. I mean yes! Yeah I’m fine, great even! How are you?”

Both women exchanged a look. “I’m fine Keyleth, thank you. Ah, have you met Pike?” Allura said, gesturing to her companion.

“Nope! Um, hi I’m Keyleth!” Keyleth extended a hand.

The woman, Pike, smiled kindly at her and took her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Keyleth.”

Keyleth’s hand started to tremble. She attempted to cover it up by shaking Pike’s hand vigorously as she replied, “L-likewise.” But judging by Pike’s look of polite confusion and Allura’s careful gaze, she’s not so sure it worked. Thankfully the exchange was short because another woman called out to Pike. Pike, sheepish, apologized to Allura, and with a brief nod to Keyleth she made her way over to another group.

Keyleth watched her go. Allura cleared her throat, grabbing Keyleth’s attention. She had a soft, knowing smile on her face, which meant that Keyleth was about as subtle as a punch to the face.

“So.” Allura said, delicate as a forest leaf.

“Yeah.”

***

It turned out, as Keyleth later learned, that Pike was new to the neighborhood. She met Allura at the Slayer’s Cake, and after expressing both a love for community service and gardening, Allura invited her to a meeting at the Tal’dorei Gardening Club.

The entire club welcomed her with open arms, which only spoke to Pike’s likeability since a good number of people in the club tended to incite new rivalries every chance they got. Thus, every time Keyleth gathered the courage to approach her, she’d be surrounded by others, and Keyleth would lose her nerve.

Unfortunately, as a doctor at the local free clinic, Pike was often too busy to attend and her time away grew longer and longer. At first, Keyleth felt relieved because it meant fewer chances to embarrass herself. She even thought it could give her the time to shake the crush. But, with every new glimpse and interaction, however brief, each following absence seemed to further cultivate her hold on Keyleth’s heart. She could sense the crush budding in swirls of gold and blue.

It was well into the last days of summer, on her way to a club meeting, waiting for the light to turn red when Keyleth began to think Pike was never coming back. Keyleth looked up at the sky, and saw a bloated blanket of mottled charcoal above the city, a tell-tale sign of an impending downpour. She always thought it strange that weather could be so empathetic.

The light turned red, which was the moment the sky decided to burst. Keyleth opened her umbrella and ran. She kept running until she arrived at the rec center. As she entered, she noticed the center was rather empty today. It might be a while til everyone else arrived so she decided to go check in on her sunflowers in the community greenhouse out back.

Keyleth smiled to see her sunflowers still in full bloom as she entered the greenhouse. Yet, she knew first frost was coming soon, so Keyleth quickly got a pot and some gloves and got to work. She was so lost in her work she almost didn’t notice someone come up beside her. Keyleth froze and looked up to see Pike admiring her sunflowers. Her hair was dyed a brilliant, pale gold. Keyleth’s heart skipped a beat.

“These are beautiful,” Pike said, turning to face Keyleth.

It’d been so long since she last seen her. Keyleth wasn’t sure what to say in response. So she said what first came to mind. “Just like you.”

Pike’s eyes widened, a light blush dusting her features. “Oh.”

Keyleth blushed a deep red to the tips of her ears, wanting nothing more than to flee, but instead of taking back her claim, she forged ahead and offered her the sunflower she just potted. “Here. Sunflowers are bright, and beautiful, and they make me happy. And since I feel the same about you…”

Pike brushed away a lock of hair, seemingly at a loss. She reached her hands out, and grabbed the pot, the tips of her fingers touching Keyleth’s. Yet, she didn’t pull away. She smiled, so soft and kind and warm that Keyleth thought her heart might burst. Then Pike took the pot.

“Thank you,” she said, bashful.

“You're welcome.”

“You know, it’s a great day for a cup of coffee later. Would you like to join me?”

A smile bloomed on Keyleth’s face. “Yeah, I’d love that.”

 

 


End file.
